Have you been curious about Linux and were not sure how to start using it? Are you looking for a free alternative to traditional operating systems such as Mac or Windows with some great built-in productivity? This podcast is going to give a brief overview of one of the simplest ways to explore a complete free and open-source operating system, Linux.

Vinux from Vinux Project is a great way to take Linux for a test drive without selling out on your current operating system. It offers everything under the hood you need to get started and has a pretty easy learning curve.

Be warned that this is an operating system and therefore can be installed on to your own physical hardware. It does have the ability to erase your drives or data and you should only install this if you understand the risks of doing so and know what you are doing. We demonstrate the use of this software in a Virtual Machine and would recommend this as an initial approach. If you do decide to install the software please exercise appropriate measures such as a full backup of your data and have a method readily available to restore your computer to a prior state before installation. We will not be held responsible for trouble-shooting failed installations, related issues of usage of the software nor will we be responsible for damage resulting out of the use of or inability to use the software.

With the legal information out of the way, give this podcast a play to hear about the pros and cons of Vinux. Additionally you will hear an overview of setting options and general functions for Orca, the included free screen reader; which gives a rather comprehensive list of features including reading web pages, navigating by page elements such as headings, mouse review and pointer tracking and support for dynamic content on web pages. An overview of the Unity desktop environment will be presented, along with a peek at Mozilla Firefox with Orca, the included text editor, as well as the included LibreOffice word processor.

We plan to present more podcasts on the use of this and other distributions of Linux. For now, this is a very brief overview. We would definitely like to hear your comments, questions and suggestions as we wade in to these relatively uncharted waters of Linux podcasts.

About Cory Martin

Located in Alberta Canada, Cory has a strong interest in technology of all types and enjoys finding new ways to leverage technology for the purpose of greater independence.
He has been working with computers since a very early age and today dabbles in all the major operating systems, Windows, Mac and Linux. He has a decent understanding of development from his DOS basic days, projects in Windows Visual Basic, Jaws scripting, HTML and Sound packs developed for various MUD's, however his primary focus is hardware. He has his CompTIA A+ certification and builds and services systems, installs operating systems and performs hardware and software trouble-shooting. He uses both iOS and Android and is always open to trying something new.
Cory has experience with podcasting and writing from his first employment position for his local newspaper as a student reporter, to other podcasts he has done for various sites. Cory joined the Cool blind Tech team early in 2015.
You may follow him on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/nerdball_net